Safety fastening device

ABSTRACT

A safety fastening device for use in preventing opening of a storage compartment by a young child and the like has a partially open hook with a shank defining an opening on one side of the shank between the shank end and a free end of the hook and means for suspending a ring from an upper surface of the frame so that the ring extends pivotally downwardly therefrom toward said hook and extends transversly thereof across the opening so that when the closure is partially opened the ring will pass through the opening and be received upon the hook as to require lifting by an instrument inserted through a partially open frame before the frame can be fully opened.

[451 mt 2'7, ram

[ 1 SAFETY FASTENHNG DEVllClE [76] Inventor: Ernest L. Misenheimer, 1111, Rt. 1,

Box 60-D, Valdese, NC. 28690 [22] Filed: r. 9, 11973 [21] Appl. No: 339,898

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1890 Banker 292/250 3/1901 Johnson 292/246 X 5/1904 Rawlings 292/DIG. 4 8/1968 Friedman 292/87 Primary Examiner-Richard E. Moore Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bailey & Dority A safety fastening device for use in preventing opening of a storage compartment by a young child and the like has a partially open hook with a shank defining an opening on one side of the shank between the shank end and a free end of the hook and means for suspending a ring from an upper surface of the frame so that the ring extends pivotally downwardly therefrom toward said hook and extends transversly thereof across the opening so that when the closure is partially opened the ring will pass through the opening and be received upon the hook as to require lifting by an instrument inserted through a partially open frame be fore the frame can be fully opened.

11 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures SAFETY FASTENING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many efforts have been made to find satisfactory fastening devices which will permit entry into a storage compartment, such as a medicine cabinet excluding young children or others of less dexterity whom it is desired to exclude. An example of such a fastening device is illustrated in US. Pat. No. 3,381,992 wherein an elongated resilient member is carried by the inside of a door and which has a hook at one end to engage an abutment carried by the cabinet. The hook is manually displaceable to permit the doors to open. Such devices are effective but are somewhat complicated and expensive.

It is desirable therefore to provide a simplified arrangement which can be distributed at an extremely low cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has been found that a safety fastening device may be provided using a hook extended inwardly of the door and depending ring carried by an upper surface of a cabinet frame with the ring being positioned across the hook so as to limit the amount to which the door may be opened, requiring lifting of the hook to fully open the door.

It is apparent that such a device may be readily manufactured and packaged at relatively low cost. Devices constructed in accordance with the present invention have proved to be extremely effective when in practical use. The devices as constructed in accordance with the present invention have the further advantage of being very easy to install.

The device illustrated has a further advantage of being readily de-activated by simply turning the hook out of the path of the depending ring.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a longitudinal sectional elevation illustrating a cabinet and drawer equipped with a safety fastening means constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1 except that the drawer is in a partially open position as limited by the device constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 except that the drawer has been closed somewhat to permit the insertion of an instrument for lifting the ring from the hook arrangement permitting the drawer to be fully open, and

FIG. 4 is a trasnversly sectional elevation taken on the line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The drawing illustrates a safety fastening device for use in preventing opening of a storage compartment having a vertical movable closure means opposite a horizontal open frame 11 as by a young child and the like. A partially open hook I2 is fastened integrally as at 13 to a shank 14 carrying said hook on one end thereof defining an opening 15 on one side of the shank between the shank and a free end of the hook. Means 116 are provided for attaching a free end of the shank to the closure extending horizontally inwardly toward the open frame with the hook positioned vertically with the opening of the shank.

A ring 17 is receivable through the opening upon the hook. Means 118 are provided for suspending the ring from an upper surface of the frame so that the ring depends pivotally downwardly therefrom toward the hook and extends transversly thereof. The shank is of sufficient length to permit said opening to extend inwardly beyond said ring when said closure is in a position partially closing said open frame.

As illustrated, the closure means is in the form of a drawer it) having a notch 10a cut in the upper inner edge of the face member to provide an effective closure. Any of a variety of closures are contemplated including a hinged door of a medicine cabinet. The threaded portion 16 of the shank provides fastening means for securing the hook 12 as specified above to an inner surface 10b of the face member of the drawer Ill). The hook I2 terminates at 12a to provide the opening 15 for receiving the ring 17.. The ring 17 is suspended from an inner surface lla of an upper member of the frame 11. The means 18 for suspending the ring includes a hook portion at right angles to the sink secured to the frame by the threaded shank portion 18b.

As observed in FIG. 2 a handle 19 is carried by the front surface I00 of drawer 10 as by screws 19a. The drawer is illustrated as having been opened to the full extent permitted by the safety fastening device by the hand 20 of an adult. The space 2]. between the drawer 10 and the frame is insufficient to gain unwanted access to contents of the drawer, such as medicine, within the frame.

In order to gain access to the contents it is necessary to first partially close the drawer leaving a space 21a to permit insertion of an instrument such as the finger 20a to lift the ring 117 from the hook 12. With the ring lifted it is then possible to fully open the drawer.

It is thus seen that the steps outlined above would be beyond the capabilities of one who might not recognize the potentially dangerous qualities of the contents as from an overdose. There are two parts which are easily installed requiring no fastening means beyond those which may be incorporated as integrally with the parts as illustrated.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without de parting from the spirit or scope of the following claim.

What is claimed is:

l. A safety fastening device for use in preventing opening of a storage compartment having a vertical movable closure means opposite: a horizontal open frame, by a young child and the like comprising:

A. a partially open hook;

B. a shank integral with said hook carrying said hook on one end thereof defining an opening on one side of said shank between said shank and a free end of said hook;

F. said shank being of sufficient length to permit said opening to extend inwardly beyond said ring when said closure is in a position partially closing said open frame; whereby when said closure is partially opened the ring will pass through said opening and be received upon said hook so as to require lifting by an instrument inserted through a partially open frame before the frame can be fully opened. 

1. A safety fastening device for use in preventing opening of a storage compartment having a vertical movable closure means opposite a horizontal open frame, by a young child and the like comprising: A. a partially open hook; B. a shank integral with said hook carrying said hook on one end thereof defining an opening on one side of said shank between said shank and a free end of said hook; C. means for attaching a free end of said shank to said closure extending horizontally inwardly toward said open frame with said hook positioned vertically with said opening above said shank; D. a ring receivable through said opening upon said hook; E. means for suspending said ring from an upper surface of said frame so that said ring depends pivotally freely vertically downwardly therefrom toward said hook and extends transversly thereof; and F. said shank being of sufficient length to permit said opening to extend inwardly beyond said ring when said closure is in a position partially closing said open frame; whereby when said closure is partially opened the ring will pass through said opening and be received upon said hook so as to require lifting by an instrument inserted through a partially open frame before the frame can be fully opened. 